Susie, Jack, and the Christmas Eve Coffee That Never Was

This Christmas Eve my mind wanders to a Christmas Eve past. It was the late eighties, in Seattle. Musician Jack Baker (Jeff Bridges) had just asked singer Susie Diamond (Michelle Pfeiffer) out for coffee after the two of them played a Christmas Eve gig with Jack’s older brother Frank (Beau Bridges). Strictly business partners up … Continue reading Susie, Jack, and the Christmas Eve Coffee That Never Was →

Year End Stuff

It’s almost the final week of the year, an appropriate time to take inventory around here. I don’t usually spend much time viewing the site’s stats, but I just did and noticed one major thing: I’ve had more than twice as many posts this year, compared to last year. In the last three months alone … Continue reading Year End Stuff →

Christmas on Film

I love the look of Christmas season. The more bright, colorful lights strewn about the better, in my opinion. Mistletoe and holly and candy canes, oh my! Keep it coming. So I thoroughly enjoy when Christmas movies go all in with their yuletide vibes. In the best Christmas movies, the seasonal trappings are a key … Continue reading Christmas on Film →

“Exquisite romantic pain”: Martin Scorsese’s The Age of Innocence

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about Martin Scorsese’s masterful 1993 adaptation of Edith Wharton’s heartbreaking novel The Age of Innocence, which traces the tragic, Gilded Age romance between Newland Archer (Daniel Day-Lewis) and Countess Ellen Olenska (Michelle Pfeiffer). No surprise there, as it’s quite possibly my favorite Scorsese film—which always shocks fans of Goodellas … Continue reading “Exquisite romantic pain”: Martin Scorsese’s The Age of Innocence →

Still wake up the same old Susie

If you’ve read everything I’ve ever written here since I started this blog in the spring of 2020, I thank you. If you only drop by once every few months and cherry pick articles of interest to you, I thank you. If this post is the first time you’re reading this blog, I thank you. … Continue reading Still wake up the same old Susie →

The Soothing Autumnal Chill of What Lies Beneath

Last October I wrote about why I love What Lies Beneath (2000), a film that’s long been an annual Halloween season watch for me. It’s beyond perfect for this time of year, especially with its autumn-in-New-England setting. Offering an exquisite lead turn by Michelle Pfeiffer, as a woman on edge trying to unravel a mystery … Continue reading The Soothing Autumnal Chill of What Lies Beneath →

Marvelous Michelle

Me: “I’m so over Marvel movies.“ *trailer drops for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumnania* Michelle Pfeiffer: “Oh, yeah?” Me: “How soon can I buy tickets?” Marvel movies lost me quite a while ago. They have intermittent moments of entertainment, but overall I’be found them mostly forgettable since Avengers: Endgame (2019). Then this new trailer happened … Continue reading Marvelous Michelle →